As a nod to his selection as the Broncos’ defensive player of the week, frenetic safety Hamza Abdullah was chosen by middle linebacker D.J. Williams to lead the team in its “breakdown” routine to fire the team up at the start of practice. Upon hearing his name called, Abdullah rushed to the front of the pack and took charge.

Such enthusiasm was indicative of what Abdullah and an influx of other one-time role players have given the struggling Broncos in recent weeks.

Abdullah has been the poster boy for fiery youth. After missing five games because of an injured hip, Abdullah has made 16 tackles the past two games from his safety spot. Last week, in his first NFL start, Abdullah made a team-high eight tackles, forced a fumble and seemed to be near the ball on every play at Kansas City. His intensity after replacing Nick Ferguson as a starter seemed to rub off on the entire defense in a victory the Broncos (4-5) hope will get them back on track.

The Broncos swiped Abdullah off the Tampa Bay practice squad in the middle of the 2005 season. He has slowly transformed himself from a special-teams performer to a legitimate defensive cog.

“It’s about showing what you can do for the team when given the opportunity,” Abdullah said. “I describe myself as a hard worker who wants to make an impact as much as I can.”

Part of the reason the Broncos’ special teams have improved dramatically in the four games after the bye has been the emergence of new, hungry playmakers. Linebackers Jamie Winborn and Jordan Beck were signed as street free agents during the season and have become key parts of the coverage units. Winborn also has seen some action on defense.

Glenn Martinez and Andre Hall have emerged as solid options on punt and kick returns after Denver’s return game faltered with Domenik Hixon and Brian Clark, who were cut.

Martinez has been a solid No. 3 receiver while Javon Walker misses time with an injury, and Hall is primed to be the backup tailback if Travis Henry is suspended for violating the NFL’s drug policy. Defensive end Josh Mallard also has made a sudden impact. Five days after signing with Denver, he was in for 46 plays in the victory at Kansas City.

“As personnel evaluators, you look for players who can come in and play with fire,” Broncos general manager Ted Sundquist said. “We’ve had a number of these types of players come in this year and really play hard, and like they want to stick around.”

Such enthusiasm by Abdullah, 24, is what first caught Denver’s attention two years ago. A college teammate and close friend of third-year Broncos nickel back Karl Paymah’s was a seventh-round pick by the Bucs in 2005. Denver liked the 6-foot-2, 216-pound player coming out of Washington State because of his speed, range, instincts and passion.

“Hamza’s fire is one of the things that really attracted us to him,” Sundquist said. “That really caught our eye. He plays with excitement and he takes that excitement out on his opponent.”

Abdullah was making steady progress before an injury on Sept. 16 stalled his rise for more than a month.

When the Broncos needed a spark at Detroit, Abdullah was inserted at safety in passing situations and Ferguson played on running downs. Abdullah was one of Denver’s few bright spots in the 44-7 loss to the Lions. That earned him the starting nod Sunday at Kansas City. Coach Mike Shanahan won’t say if Abdullah will continue to start, but he clearly has proved his value the past two weeks.

“It was just good to get back out there,” Abdullah said. “In high school, I was taught to go after the ball and be near the ball, and that’s how I play to this day.”

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